By Tom Morrow

Carlsbad CA— Like the mythical Phoenix bird, Carlsbad-based California Pacific Airlines has risen from a tangle of bureaucracy and will be flying to six cities by April 1. The multi-city air service will be flying four E-145 and two E-170, all pure jets.

CPA’s Embaer 145s will hold 44 passengers each; the E-170 will carry 60. The cities served will be Phoenix, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, and the Mexican resort city Cabo San Lucas. Service frequency will range from once daily to three round trips on various routes, all out of Carlsbad’s Palomar Airport. All planes will be in Carlsbad overnight, ready for the next day.

Chief Operating Officer Paul W. J. Hook, who also serves as director of operations, said CPAir, through a to-be-announced purchase of a 58-year-old airline, will have the FAA 121 certificate required for scheduled airlines. Hook is a veteran airline pilot with service in four countries, including Saudi Arabia where he was the chief pilot for the royal family for 14 years.

“Once we have the six planes delivered to us in March, we immediately can start service, said Hook. “Each plane will have both first and business-class seating. Economy passengers won’t see much difference from business class. Our ticket pricing will be competitive with other airlines serving the area.”

In 2011, CPAir was founded by Carlsbad entrepreneur Ted Vallas. Previously, Vallas owned and operated Air Resorts, also a scheduled airline flying out of San Diego’s Lindbergh Field. Vallas will serve as chairman of the new CPAir board of directors.

“We plan on holding a stockholders and media conference at 10 a.m., Nov. 16, in the board room of Atlantic Air Service building, 2100 Palomar Airport Rd., just west of the Carlsbad-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad,” Valla said. “All stockholders are San Diego County residents.”